Dungeness Mushroom Chowder Recipes

DUNGENESS & MUSHROOM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a 3- to 4-quart pan, combine potatoes with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover pan, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender when pierced, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.
• Meanwhile, rinse mushrooms briefly and drain. Trim off and discard any tough stem ends; if using shiitakes, discard whole stems. Cut mushrooms into large bite-size pieces. In a heavy 5- to 6-quart pan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add mushrooms and stir often until liquid is evaporated and mushrooms are just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Pour into a bowl.
• Add bacon to same pan over medium-high heat and stir often until beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic and stir often until onion is limp, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over onion mixture and stir often until just beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Whisk chicken broth and cream into pan and continue whisking until mixture boils and thickens, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in sherry, Worcestershire, and thyme, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
• Gently stir in potatoes, mushrooms, and crabmeat. Add salt and pepper to taste and cook until heated through.
• Cook's tip: You can substitute common button mushrooms for the wild ones. To add wild flavor, cover 2 packages mixed dried wild mushrooms (about 3/4 oz. total) with 1 cup boiling water and let soak until soft, about 20 minutes. Lift mushrooms out gently, squeeze dry, and cut into bite-size pieces; add with button mushrooms. Substitute the mushroom-soaking liquid for one cup of the chicken broth, pouring it in carefully, leaving the sediment behind.

CRAB-AND-CORN CHOWDER WITH BACON AND CHANTERELLE MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Cut kernels off corn cobs. Set kernels aside. Combine cobs, broth, and cream in heavy large saucepan. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon and sauté until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons pan drippings; add onion, leeks, celery, and fennel seeds to pot. Sauté until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in potatoes. Discard cobs from cream mixture; strain cream mixture into potato mixture. Simmer until potatoes are almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in corn kernels. Simmer chowder until potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes longer.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in Sherry and thyme. Add mushroom mixture to chowder. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Sauté crabmeat in same large skillet over medium-low heat just until heated through, about 3 minutes. Divide crabmeat, reserved bacon, and parsley among bowls. Ladle chowder over and serve.